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Bil. 17/ Disember
Librarians, professionalism and image: stereotype and reality
ago for recognition and fair remuneration still resound in professional discourse. An insecurity over status and
a sensitivity over self-image has achieved little so far, whilst the perception of persecution by stereotype has
been shown to be dated. It is a matter of choosing the positive aspects of cultural influences to inspire us and
shouting loud about the good work we all do, both big and small.
The image we seem to worry about most – that of the middle-aged spinster librarian – is basically irrelevant and unimportant. What
is important is the view of the librarian and the library as foreboding, boring, complicated, largely inaccessible, or worse, irrelevant
(Schuman, 1990, p. 86).
Every professional proud to call themselves a librarian must work daily to counter this view, not alone but in
partnership with professional networks and organisations, who in their turn must consistently operate a vibrant
and engaged promotional strategy, representing on the national stage the skills and experience of their work-
force.
The first librarian in the US Congress, Major Robert Owens, offers this vision of one possible future for li-
brarianship, eloquently capturing the centrality of positive action to the role of librarian:
On more than one occasion I have dreamed that a spaceship from some advanced civilisation on another planet has landed and that
the ship's captain has disembarked uttering the words: ‘Take me to your librarian’. If current developments are carried to their logical
conclusion, it will result in the accumulation of powerful, capable persons with the mentality and orientation of librarians. General-
ists, people who have mastered the encyclopaedic approach to problem solving, consistently have been the leaders of modern socie-
ties (Owens, 1979, p. 3).
Maybe we worry too much about the stereotypes of both how we look and what we do. It is however crucial
that people have a clear idea of the range of services we actually offer. To achieve this, what we do must be
relevant and in consultation with the communities we serve, consistent across the country and most of all,
shouted about, really loudly.

References
Ayre, S. (2003), "Image of librarians", LIS-PROFESSION, (online), .
(2003), Dismantling the Public Spere: Situating and Sustaining Librarianship in the Age of the New Public
Philosophy, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, pp.3.
Creaser, C. (2007), Life@work Survey: Final Report, LISU, Loughborough, .
Define Research and Insight (2006), MLA, DCMS, Laser Foundation: A Research Study of 14-35 Year Olds
for the Future Development of Public Libraries, Define, London, .
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2003), Framework for the Future, DCMS, London, .
Dilevko, J., Gottlieb, L. (2004), "The portrayal of librarians in obituaries at the end of the twentieth century",
Library Quarterly, Vol. 74 No.2, pp.152-80.
Dolan, J. (2007), A Blueprint for Excellence, MLA, London, (online), .
Edmonds, D., Owen, K. (2006), "Performance through people", Public Library Journal, Summer, Vol. 21
No.2, pp.8-9..
Highsmith, D. (2002), "The long, strange trip of Barbara Gordon: images of librarians in comic books", The
Reference Librarian, Vol. 78 pp.61-83.
Jones, M. (2005), "Refocusing traditional roles: the Essex approach", Update, Vol. 4 No.10, pp.36-8.
Kroll, E. (2004), "Breaking the mold: information professionals as action figures and reality show characters",
Information Outlook, Vol. 8 No.2, pp.17-18, 20-21.
Love Libraries (2006), Young Librarians of the Future, (online), (s.l.): (s.n.), available at:
www.lovelibraries.co.uk/librarians.php, .
Owens, R.O. (1979), "Librarian as decision maker”, in", in Sellen, B.C. (Eds),What Else can you do with a Li-
brary Degree?, Neal-Schuman, New York, NY, pp.3.
Robinson, L.T.K. (2006), "Curmudgeons and dragons? A content analysis of the Australian print media's por-
trayal of the information profession 2000 to 2004", Libres, Vol. 16 No.2, pp.10-11..

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